CALGARY — Fred Bennett certainly remembers that feeling, the rush of lining up against one of the best in his sport.

Standing across from Chad Johnson, the defensive back knew nothing less than his very best effort would keep him from getting burned. This was one of the best players in the NFL at the time.

Bennett, now a member of the Calgary Stampeders, is getting that feeling again. Sure, Johnson is no longer Ochocinco, nor is he one of the best pass-catchers in the four-down circuit, but the newest Montreal Alouettes receiver will grab some attention in his CFL debut this Saturday.

In those matchups during the 2010 season, Bennett was a scout-team defensive back for the Cincinnati Bengals, where Johnson had just finished a string of seven 1,000-yard seasons in eight years.

When they meet at McMahon Stadium, it’s not just practice. It’s for real.

“It will be nice to get the season started off knowing I’m facing one the best who’s ever played professional football,” said Bennett, who could line up against Johnson the majority of the time. “It will be a challenge to me. There is much respect there. At the same time, this is a competition, so may the best man win.”

The Alouettes made the biggest CFL news this off-season when they courted, worked out and then signed the six-time Pro Bowler. The last time Johnson played in a real game was when he was a general non-factor for the New England Patriots during Super Bowl XLVI, but that was more than two years ago.

The 36-year-old at least proved to the Alouettes that he could still offer something to them on the field, but there is ample evidence that signing an NFL star for a CFL position is a crapshoot at best.

For as many cross-league stars as there have been — Doug Flutie, Jeff Garcia and Cam Wake, for example — there are many more instances of failed experiments, especially when an older player comes north looking for one last hurrah.

Running back Ricky Williams spent one ho-hum season with the Toronto Argonauts while on a drug suspension in 2006 before returning south. Receiver Andre Rison, who like Johnson is a member of the exclusive 10,000-yard club in the NFL, flamed out with the Argos in 2004 and 2005 after just six games played.

The expectation is that if you’ve starred in the NFL, the CFL should be a piece of cake. It rarely works out that way, especially if the player doesn’t respect the talent in the three-down game.

“We spoke about this the other day,” said Stamps defensive back Joshua Bell. “You have to respect your opponents. Football is played everywhere.

“You aren’t a king because you came from the NFL. You don’t just get that crown. You need to line up with 11 other players and work at being the right guy in a system to be that king, to be that Jon Cornish. You have to play within a scheme. People think, ‘He should be a superstar here,’ but it takes an adjustment to play this game.

“You can play well, but for you to excel, it will take your second year in the program. To excel in your first year is outrageous.”

Calgary Stampeders defensive back Fred Bennett snag this pass during practise in this file photo. Photo by Gavin Young/Calgary Herald

Even if Johnson isn’t ready to excel right away, he will be an attraction wherever the Alouettes play and he’s in the lineup. The season opener on Saturday will draw plenty of attention south of the border. Sports Illustrated’s Peter King, author of the Monday Morning Quarterback, will cover the game as part of his Canadian week, then he will drive to Regina for the Roughriders and Tiger-Cats game on Sunday.

The oldest receiver in the CFL certainly doesn’t shy away from attention. This was the same guy who, in one of his famed touchdown celebrations, donned an oversized coat with ‘Future HOF 20??’ on the back. Johnson’s opponents don’t mind if people back in the U.S. suddenly start watching what they are doing in Canada.

“This is good for the league,” Bennett said. “It’s good press.”

The Stamps certainly won’t get caught up too much in the Johnson hoopla. The Alouettes will be led by Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Troy Smith, someone who is trying to follow Flutie’s path and have success in Canada after his NFL opportunities ended.

There is too much at stake to worry about just one player.

“Chad Johnson is one of my favourite NFL receivers,” Bell said. “He’s never been a CFL receiver, so I can’t say he’s one of my favourites here. SJ Green is a great receiver, and we want to take away him primarily. You want to take away players who have done things in this league before you take away a player who hasn’t done anything. You take away those players and then you have a higher probability of having success.”

As for the matchup between Bennett and Johnson, Bell would bet on his teammate’s chances.